Martha first encountered the charismatic Californian spiritual healer Durek through their mutual friend, Hollywood health and wellness expert Millana Snow, who introduced them in 2018.
The 52-year-old mother of three was previously married to the late author Ari Behn, the father of their daughters Maud, 21, Leah, 19, and Emma, 16, for 15 years before their divorce in 2017.
She said: “I had decided not to get married again. But after meeting Durek in 2018, I changed my mind.”
And forming a relationship with Martha’s three girls has been a priority for Durek from day one.
He said: “Dating a woman with children, you have to be responsible. If it doesn’t work out, it’s not fair to them. I wanted to make sure we would get on so I spent time with them. I took them to Universal Studios in LA and introduced them to my family.
“As I got to know them and their different personalities, it was like seeing elements of Martha. It’s taken years to build trust and a relationship that is our own. As a couple, our priority is the kids. We believe in being hands-on parents, so they always come first.”
Durek also sought the blessing of Martha’s parents, King Harald and Queen Sonja of Norway, when he asked her to marry him in 2022.
“I have old school views on courtship and asking for Martha’s hand in marriage was about respect,” he said. “The King and Queen asked me questions about myself and the future, and went quiet for a bit. I was sweating as I waited for their response – and then they turned to me and said they’d love to have me as part of the family.”
With a smile, Martha added: “At my age, I could choose for myself! But my parents had to wait nine years before they could wed and always told me they wanted me to marry whoever I wanted.”
